As a sponsor, I was more than thrilled to see V:IP so clearly represented (I hear more than 1500 people were rocking the Vantage Point on Saturday!) -- you guys did everything I expected and more and we will be back next year!

Posted On Tuesday, May 23, 2017

It's been a little while since I've recapped a show -- a fault totally my own, and FAR from suggesting that I didn't have a great time. But at Wizard World Des Moines, I had so many unique and fun experiences, that I couldn't just bask in them privately. I HAVE TO share them...if only to stoke your jealous fires for not being there yourself.

Just kidding.

Well...sorta. Not really.

I first have to shoutout Jim Minteer and Jonathan Youngblood -- two enterprising journalists who took the time to let me wax about my life and career as a creator.

Jim, despite our infrequent interactions being limited to basically Facebook comments, you were like talking to a longtime friend -- and I hope to do so again, VERY soon!

Jonathan, your energy, enthusiasm and interest was so strong, it LITERALLY carried me through the entire weekend. I'm more than certain you'll have a highly successful career in this game. #RumbleYoungbloodRumble

Look for an update when both of these interviews drop and click the links to check out more of their work!

"Jerry's Kids":

Affecting young minds is responsibility and privilege that I look forward to at every show. So whenever Jerry Milani (pr@wizardworld.com) asks if I'm interesting in speaking to a few students at a show, my answer is always yes! This time, maybe a dozen folks piled into one of the panel rooms and I waxed for about 40mins about how awesome it is to be a creative and that if they're passionate about something, they should explore that passion with all the intensity and dedication they can muster! It is the very backbone to my success and a message I can't help but to share at every opportunity. Thank you Jerry for giving me the chance!

Only Sheep Eat Rotten Tomatoes:

This panel has become a fan favorite and with Wonder Woman dropping next week, the debates will only get better! One of my goals is to get a few more comic creators involved, and possibly someone from the film's production.

*Take a moment of silence in honor of the Snyder family, as director Zack Snyder steps down to mourn the tragic death of his daughter. Whether a fan of the films or not, we, as a community cannot allow our bias to trump our empathy.

Spidey Homecoming 101:

As a non-mainstream creator (I've never worked for Marvel, DC, Image or Dark Horse), I hold it in the highest regard to work with established pros and legends on panels. A huge thanks to Danny Fingeroth for inviting me and Mikey Babinski for treating me like a peer.

VIPs of Self-Publishing:

I have arrived!!! When a room full of people are so keyed in to what you're saying that they're frantically taking notes (basically me talk to the tops of their heads :D) -- you may have stumbled onto something! Seriously, thank you to everyone who attended and participated, I EXPECT to run into at a show putting all that we shared into practice in your own self-publishing practices.

Stan "The Man" Lee Meet & Greet:

Sharing the same air as the living legend is enough to make ANY comic fan swoon -- but getting to working with "The Man", Max (his handler) and Jonathan (media chronicler and assistant) to make sure his fans had a great time -- it's INDESCRIBABLE! If you EVER have the change to meet him, you certainly should take advantage -- in the world of comics, he might not have been "The King", but he's definitely royalty!

Spike, Anya, Piper and Leo:

I got to sit with the OG's of the WB/CW renaissance -- think about it, without shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Charmed, would we have hits like Supergirl, Riverdale, and the Arrowverse on now? -- and they were fun explorations in the longevity of fandoms! Buffy is celebrating 20yrs (Charmed hits that milestone next year), but the impact hasn't diminished in the slightest!

Wizard World Costume Contest:

"Dance off, bro..." That's all I'm gonna say! If you were there -- you KNOW what happened ;)

U Cre-8 Comics Presents: The Character Crafter:

I admit, I was a little worried we wouldn't have a good draw, since we were going up against WWE Superstar Seth Rollins (Q&A), but LUCKILY we had a few people (I would say a solid 30-40, actually) come "Cre-8" with us!

It was a great session and we had a TON fun -- but I think one of the highest compliments I've ever received was from a 5th grade teacher in attendance who said that I had hit ever ELA standard she aimed to hit this year.

*Shout out to Brandon Guess -- although you weren't in attendance, your protest of "Professor X is a Liar" was WELL represented!

Hey, Hey -- it's Micky Dolenz:

I became a fan of The Monkees thru the 80's revival of the series in syndication -- it was a part of my b/w television comedy block (also featuring Mr. Ed and Dennis the Menace), so to get the chance to moderate for the lead vocalist and drummer for the musical/comedy troop, was a bit of a cool gig. Micky was a WEALTH of knowledge and I found his insights into culture (and not only The Monkees' impact on it) to be truly enlightening.

And he signed a copy of their latest hit CD, "Good Times" for my buddy Allen from The Basement of Doom podcast!

Marley and Me:

No trip to Des Moines would be complete without hanging with my good friend Marley (the Afro God!), a young, up and coming creator I met my first year out there. It's been a pleasure to watch his growth and determination to create and I find it truly a blessing to be any sort of inspiration to him. Who knows where he'll go in this biz, but rest assured, he'll achieve whatever he dreams... #KeepItUpMarley

*Blooper Bonus!* The story behind this pic: I was in the green room talking with Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite) about the Alien franchise, not realizing that my big head was in the shot of Dean [Cain] and Alexa [Bliss]'s photo. Imagine my surprise when I got mentioned in a response about it! Much love to Dean, who was a good sport about it!

Posted On Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Hey peeps, come see me at WIZARDWORLDDesMoinesMay 19-21! As a special THANK YOU, use the code VICTOR at checkout to get 20% off your ticket price. http://wizardworld.com/

I'm heading back to Iowa for Wizard World Des Moines -- one of the most endearing shows in the circuit! Don't miss out on all the great creators, cosplayers and celebs...including STAN "THE MAN" LEE!!! I seriously can't even wait! And since you'll be around, checkout all the AMAZING panels I've got on deck -- whether you're a fan or future creator, we've got something fun for you!

Panel Schedule:
FRIDAY:
5:30-6:15pm Only Sheep Eat Rotten Tomatoes (Rm 106) BEHOLD sweet children -- you're being led astray!!! Critics have roasted and lampooned the DC cinematic universe, leaving a ROTTEN taste in the mouths of fans. But self-publishing comic writer, Victor Dandridge will reveal how Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman, and Suicide Squad are the foundations of possibly the greatest franchise in cinematic history.

6-6:45pm Spider-Man: Homecoming 101: Everything You Need to Know about Spidey and The Vulture (Rm 106) With excitement building for Spider-Man: Homecoming, longtime Spider-Man comics group editor and writer Danny Fingeroth, Spider-Man artist Mikey Babinski, and geek-supreme Victor Dandridge, talk about the history of the hatred between the webs linger and the Vulture, which started back in the second issue of Amazing Spider-Man and is the central conflict of the upcoming movie.

SATURDAY:
12-12:45pm VIPs of Self-Publishing (Rm 105) Self-publishing creator, Victor Dandridge, heads a forum-style discussion on the practices of self-publishing comic books. Guided with his own years of experience as both a comic book fan and creator, Victor aims to lead this discussion, interacting with the attending audience to share ideas for comic book production, marketing, and distribution.

4:30-5:15pm The Charmed Life: A CONversation with Holly Marie Combs & Brian Krause (Main Stage) We've got the stars of Charmed -- and we're going to ask them all about it! Moderated by Victor Dandridge.
5:30-6:15pm It's A Me, Charles Martinet: A CONversation with the voice of Super Mario! (Intro) (Main Stage) He's been the voice of Nintendo's Super Mario since 1995, and Charles Martinet is here to tell you all about it!

7-9pm Wizard World Costume Contest (Main Stage) Hosted by our very own superheroes Victor Dandridge and Brit Bliss, the Wizard World Comic Costume Contest is NO joke! Anyone interested in participating, sign up at the Wizard World Info booth inside the exhibition floor on Saturday.

SUNDAY:
12-12:45pm U Cre-8 Comics Presents: Character Crafter (Rm 105) Are you the next GREAT comic creator?! Take the Raconteur's challenge and design your own character from start to finish. Establish powers, design costumes and create an origin story and more with U Cre-8 Comics -- the PERFECT jumpstart to YOUR comic universe! Hosted by (the dreamy) Victor Dandridge.

1-1:45pm Daydream Believing: A CONvo with Micky Dolenz (Rm 107) Hey, hey -- he's a Monkee! The inimitable Micky Dolenz, vocalist and drummer for the Monkees, is here to tell you about his experiences in music and entertainment. Moderated by Victor Dandridge.